09 All Star Overview

Links to the other 2009 All Star pages:

Hastings at the Little League World Series

The 2009 Little League World Series is over, the Championship Final won 6 - 3 by the hard hitting team from Chula Vista, California over the international winner from Chinese Taipei.

The Hastings All Stars are home and were warmly greeted upon their return at the airport. Here's a picture of Dave and Vito with Vancouver Mayor Robertson and Councilor Louie.

They made friends and turned some heads with their style of play and they're bringing home a lot of memories.

Before the final game in Williamsport the team was presented with the 2009 Jack Losch Little League World Series Team Sportsmanship Award in Recognition of Exemplary Sportsmanship on and off the field.

In this way they were recognized by the tournament organizers for how well our team represented Hastings and Canada well in every possible way both on and off the field. It's also worthwhile to note that their losses were to the teams that finished second and third in the tournament.

An overview of the series for Hastings:

Team Canada

Tuesday, August 25

Game 3: Canada vs. Europe

The flair for the dramatic that Hastings showed in their first game took on heroic proportions as they tried to finish their tournament with a win against the team from Germany. Things started well as they built a 3 - 0 lead on the strength of Anthony Cusati's hitting. Hastings continued their solid play and by the middle of the fifth inning held a 10 - 2 edge. In the bottom of the inning, though, Europe found their bats and the wheels came off for Canada. The German team scored 11 runs to take a 3 run lead into the sixth. Hastings got their focus back and thanks to Anthony's second homer of the game and third of the tournament, they trailed 13 - 12. With two out and two on Matthew Woo worked to walk the bases loaded, bringing up Katie Reyes. With her third hit of the game, she stroked a low pitch to right field to drive in the tying and go-ahead runs. There was still some work to do in the bottom of the inning to preserve the lead. But with a runner on second base, Christian Cullen, who had earlier taken a bad hop grounder in the face, made a diving stop and a throw to Katie at first from his knees to record the final out of a wild game - and a win for Canada.

Final Score: Canada 14 Europe 13

Sunday, August 23

Game 2: Canada vs. Chinese Taipei

As in their first game, great pitching and solid defense held Canada in against another world power for four innings. Starter Matteo Vincelli started nervously but struck out the side after loading the bases in the first inning. But the powerful Asia-Pacific reps wouldn't be denied as two homers gave them all the runs they needed. They poured it on in the fifth while Hastings couldn't solve Taipei's pitchers. Canada managed just two hits, including Ian Creamore's exciting triple in the sixth. Overall, another fine performance from a team that surprised with their tenacity and solid play against one that must be considered a tournament favourite.

Final Score: Canada 0 Chinese Taipei 8

Saturday, August 22

Game 1: Canada vs. Mexico

The opening game for these two Group D teams was one to remember. It started as a pitching duel between Mexico's hard throwing Raymundo Berrones and Hastings' ace Ryan Matsuda and featured solid Canadian defense and a massive home run by Anthony Cusati that gave Hastings the lead until the fourth inning. Mexico's strong bats finally produced the tying run but a great team play prevented more scoring. Hastings' strong defense sent the game to extra innings with a diving catch, again by Anthony, that resulted in a double play. Mexico kept after it, though, and won it in the seventh when a dribbler handcuffed Team Canada and the winning run came home.

Final score: Canada 1 Mexico 2 (7 innings)

It was a dramatic and spectacular game to watch and appreciate by any baseball standards and the Hastings All Stars proved they deserve a place among the best teams in the world. Hats off to the team for a stellar showing against one of the International pool's strongest teams.

I'm collecting some of the newspaper stories that are following the fortunes of the Hastings All Stars.

More will be added as the road to the Little League World Series continues.

Anyone with newspaper stories you don't see here are welcome to submit them by clicking on the 'Send Scores' button on the left.

Click here to see them.

Hastings - Canadian Champions

The 11-12 year-old All Stars continued to make Hastings and District 6 history Saturday as they won the Canadian Championship and the right to represent Canada at the Little League World Series.

Hastings defeated the Turtle Club of Windsor, Ontario 9 - 2 to secure the first ever National Championship for our league and district.

After falling behind early, Hastings took the lead in the third inning. The game remained close until the sixth inning when the visiting B.C. scored five runs and kept Ontario from replying. I was a suitable ending to a great week of baseball.

It's hard to express the pride and excitement everyone at HCLL feels for this exceptional group of athletes and coaches. This title is a tremendous accomplishment for our league and is also a testament to the work of our dedicated executive, coaches volunteers and parents of hundred of Hastings ball players over the years who all, in some way, helped to bring this level of success to our league.

Hastings wins Fred Ritchie Tournament

Hastings All Stars finished off the biggest year in the history of Hastings Community Little League by winning the Fred Ritchie Memorial 9 - 10 year-old All Star Tournament. They beat Little Mountain 7 - 1 in the final Tuesday night, ending the Hastings Park season on a winning note for the third consecutive year.

Thanks again to the All Star players and their coaches, most of whom were part of the winning Provincials team as well. We appreciate them spending so much of their summer representing Hastings. A big thank you goes out as well to the parents/volunteers who helped to continue the great tradition that is the Fred Ritchie Tournament.

And thanks to all the other teams from across the Lower Mainland for helping us put on a another fine show. We hope you had a good time and we hope to see you back next year.

For a tournament overview click the Fred Ritchie link to the left

or click HERE to go straight to the schedule and results page.

Hastings - Best in B.C.

The Hastings 11 - 12 year-old All Stars completed and unlikely double on Sunday afternoon by adding the Provincial Major Championship to Hastings' first ever Provincial Title won by the Minor All Stars in July.

For the first time Hastings will represent B.C. in the Canadian Championships,

held this year in Val D'Or, Quebec starting August 8th.

Our team beat the defending B.C. and Canadian Champions White Rock/South Surrey 13 - 2 with a tremendous display of pitching, power and team play. Hastings hit five home runs and used solid defense and clutch pitching to keep several WRSS comeback attempts from turning it into a close game.

The kids, coaches, parents, volunteers and executive are thrilled to part of this exceptional Championship season at Hastings. Our congratulations go out to the kids who played so well in the heat, the coaches who prepared and supported them so well, and especially to long serving All Star manager Vito Bordignon whose many years of dedication and service to Hastings have produced a worthy champion. Thanks to the great effort of the Major All Star players, not to mention the Minor and Rookie teams, we can, for 2009, truthfully call Hastings Community Little League

the Best in B.C.

July 25

Hastings wins 2009 9 - 10 year old Provincials

The Hastings All Stars beat Dunbar 11 - 3 in Saturday's final to bring

Hastings Community Little League it's first ever Provincial Championship.

This is exciting news for Hastings. We've had very good teams in both Minor and Major Divisions that have been in contention over the last several years but it took this talented team and their dedicated coaches to deliver in the final.

A big thank you to the 9- 10 year old All Stars for bringing us the title. It's a huge win for our league.

Click here to link to the schedule at the Little Mountain web site.

Pictures from the district final:

Hastings Rookie All Stars

Not to be outdone by the Minor and Major teams, our Rookie All Star team has accomplished great things this season as well. After becoming the District 6 Rookie Champions in June, a team comprised mostly of Rookie All Stars won the Abercromby Cup. In our league's first entry into a Minor Association tournament, HCLL Rookies beat 3 Tadpole teams from Burnaby Minor Baseball Association and Vancouver Minor Baseball Association to win the 2009 Ambercromby Summer Challenge Tournament, held on July 22-26, in Burnaby.

Thanks to the Hastings organizers for lining up this summer action for the kids and thanks to Burnaby Minor for welcoming their Little League neighbours to the show.

Click here for a few pictures from the tournament.